Silence

  ***

  Once we’d finished eating, he threw our empty cartons in the bin and wrapped his arms around me. I was still sitting on the stool so we were almost the same height. His chest was pressed against mine, and my legs were over his. I liked it too much.

  “It’s almost eleven. We need to go soon,” he said quietly, rubbing circles on the small of my back. His fingers brushing against my skin gave me goose bumps. Cole stroked my hair, pushing it behind my ear. With a deep frown, he stood up and held his hand out for me, helping me up.

  I blushed as we walked out to the car park. Would we have kissed again back there? Should I have initiated it? It shouldn’t be him all the time, but I was far too scared to do it myself.

  Stopping at his car, he turned to me and stared into my eyes.

  Just kiss me already!

  He cleared his throat. “Let’s get you home before your parents send out a search party.”

  I opened the car door and got in, feeling deflated. Turning the dial to cold, so when he started the car it would start to cool up, I laid back in the seat.

  The car ride home was strangely awkward. I watched him out of the corner of my eye. His grip on the steering wheel was a little too tight and he was over-concentrating on the road as if he had to memorise every bloody pothole.

  As we pulled up outside my house I felt deflated. The night was over. I was about to head back in to reality.

  “I’ll walk you in,” he said and opened his door.

  I practically ran up the path, eager to end the awkwardness. Turning as we approached the front door, I looked up at him. He was standing closer than I imagined he would be. We were just inches apart, and I could practically feel the heat radiating from him.

  As I reached out to put the key in the lock, he grabbed my hand and spun me back to face him. Our lips touched, and my body felt boneless. The kiss only lasted a couple of seconds, but even after he pulled away, I could still feel the pressure of his lips on mine. Cole smiled as he took the key and opened the door while I just stood there like a complete moron.

  I shook my head in a daze and walked inside. Dad was the only one up, probably waiting for me. “Hi, sweetheart, did you have a good night?” He asked as he looked up from the screen. I nodded and chewed on my lip.

  “Good. Well, I’m going to bed now. You should, too, okay? Goodnight, Cole.”

  “Night, Max,” Cole replied and turned to me. “You really had a good time?” He sounded unsure of himself. I nodded and smiled. How was that not obvious?

  “Good. I did too… Well, Miss, I should get going. Goodnight,” he said in a fake posh accent, making me grin. He gently kissed my forehead and walked backwards, closing my front door.

  I went up to my room, giving Dad a quick wave as I quickly ran past him, and stripped out of my clothes, throwing on the first set of pyjamas I saw. Nothing could ruin my mood tonight, not even coming home.

  As I wrapped my cover around myself, my phone beeped. Cole had written: ‘Night. X’.

  I grinned like a freak and typed a reply I’d never send. ‘Night Cole. X’.

  12

  Oakley